


Consequences of Compassion

by Hippiainen



Series: A Light Lost in the Dark [7]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Awkward Meetings, Gen, running into people from past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 16:44:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16329791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hippiainen/pseuds/Hippiainen
Summary: Aleena ends up running into a Sith from her past. They are more grateful than Sith usually are when it comes to Jedi, but she did free him back then. Even if it was by accident.





	Consequences of Compassion

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to [The Downfall of Compassion](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13381350) and reading it might make some of the things referred to here make more sense.

Aleena’s curled up against several large pillows. She’d found a small café at the edge of Kaas City and taken refuge from the rain there. It was becoming a habit of hers, wandering around the city and then finding a café or a teahouse to sit at. A habit she certainly enjoyed, even if her tail never seemed to be too far. She wasn’t sure who her father had watching her this time. She knew what one of them looked like, but he wasn’t in the café.

Despite having a spy after her, she was happy. A warm blanket, good tea, a new murder mystery, and raindrops gently tapping against the window, she couldn’t really ask for more. Snuggling against one of the pillows, the holobook leaning against her legs, she sips her tea. Her stomach grumbles a little, making her thoughts turn towards lunch. Looking around to see if there’s a menu for something more substantial to eat when she notices the door open from the corner of her eye.

There’s something familiar in the human entering, as if she knows him from somewhere. It’s of course possible she’s seen him in passing, but… His red eyes scan the room and come to a sudden halt when they land on her. A grin spreads on his face. She’s sure she should remember him. And now he’s coming towards her table, but why?

“Well hello little Jedi. You are probably the last person I expected to see here.” That voice. Now she remembers. Seven years ago. She doesn’t even think back on it that often anymore. But the man before her had haunted her dreams for months after their meeting.

She isn’t sure what to say, or why did he even come to talk to her. To her confusion he takes a seat at the table. “But where are my manners? Nathan Kitlou, kind of forgot to mention that the last time. Though in my defence, I wasn’t feeling my best.” He offers his hand, which seems weird. Sith didn’t usually do that.

She sets her tea down, leaning towards him and taking his hand. “Aleena… Marwil.” Her surname is still an afterthought. Even though her father hadn’t even suggested she’d start calling herself Caitlin, the surname was something he had insisted upon. “I’m glad to see you have recovered from your captivity.”

Nathan laughs, “Actually I meant to thank you for that. I doubt I’d be here if you hadn’t provided me with such an opportunity.”

“I’m afraid it wasn’t my intention.” Definitely hadn’t been. Aleusis had been so mad at her. _“How could you be so careless? How many times must you be told that the Sith are dangerous? And you let one of them escape! Here! You endangered everyone, every single being on this planet!”_ She swallows as she remembers his accusations, not that they were false, she had put everyone at risk.

“Still…” he pauses for a moment, “You did give me the chance. I hope the Jedi weren’t too harsh on you, especially consider the truth about you.”

“I-” She wasn’t sure. A month of kitchen duty with few extra hours of meditation a day for six months to reflect on her actions wasn’t that bad, all things considered. But would it have been less if not for her heritage? It seemed silly, she had been with the Order for over a decade at that point. They couldn’t have thought that her early childhood would have influenced her, could they? “I survived.”

The Sith hums, “And you certainly seem to have become wiser since the last time.”

“Huh?”

“Unless you mean to tell me that you hold the same narrow-minded views of the Force? Though I can’t imagine that you do.”

She shakes her head, it’d be stupid of her to deny that. The truth could be so easily read from the gold in her eyes. “I guess my eyes have been opened. But I’m not going to pretend I still get it all.”

The Sith laughs, “And wittier as well, oh my. Not that I think that anyone expects you to get it all. Not yet at least.” He orders himself a caf from the waiter. Aleena really had wished to be left in peace with her book, but apparently no such luck. “But getting the basics right is important. Or are you still going to defend the Jedi for their genocidal ways?” A dangerous glint enters his eyes. There are no metal bars between them this time, and she isn’t surrounded by Jedi willing to protect her.

“No. I now know how the Senate and the Jedi Council sanctioned it all, and I can’t defend that. Not that I was going to defend it back then, I just didn’t think they’d be capable of something like that.” Now she knew. Knew the lengths they were willing to go. She wasn’t sure where Iltar had gotten the Senate and Jedi Council transcripts from the aftermath of the Great Hyperspace War, but she was sure they weren’t doctored.

“Feels like personal betrayal?” She wasn’t sure he was just referring to the Jedi’s attempted genocide, or everything else as well… Everything they had done to her.

“I guess so. I mean, they lied to me my whole life. And I believed them, because I trusted them.” Aleena mixes her tea absentmindedly. It’s weird. She doesn’t really know Nathan, doesn’t know what he’s up to, but she knows she shouldn’t be so open. Even though most people know who she is, it’s rare for people to actually recognize her. Her name might be known, but not face. But that wasn’t the case with Nathan. He knew exactly who she was. Knew how she’d been as a Jedi.

“You’ll happier with the truth in the long run.” He accepts the caf, drinking it while gauging her reaction.

“I know, it’s just…” It hurts, more than she wants to admit. This was not the life she had wanted, to become this... And the truth meant that she knew what had happened to her mother, and it hurt as well. Because even though she could hardly remember her, she knew that she’d loved her. And her mom had loved her.

“Aleena, I’ll not lie, when we first met, I was certain you were just another indoctrinated little Jedi. Maybe not as much as some of them, but still…” He’s smirking. It’s infuriating. “But it seems that you had more depth than them after all.”

“Right, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It was meant as such.”

“In that case, you might need more practice.”

He laughs, it’s sharp and there’s something about it that has Aleena nervous, “And you really do love running that mouth of yours.”

“What can I say? Mouthing off Sith seems to be a hobby of mine.” Definitely a perilous one, but she does her best to sound amused.

“You do have plenty of opportunity for that now.”

She chuckles, “True enough.” Though she really needed a better hobby, this one carried way too much risk.

An uncomfortable silence falls between them. They both focus on their drinks, and she wishes he’d drink his caf as quickly as possible and leave her to her own devices. But he seems to be happy to take his time.

The minutes pass and she can’t help but feel the oppressiveness of the silence weighting on her. “Why did you come and talk to me?” The words feel rushed, impolite, but it’s better than the quiet. Besides, she is curious.

He looks at her eyes, smirking, “How many of us get the chance to talk to the long lost daughter of Darth Mortis?”

“Rather many I suppose. Most just don’t know who I am, where I come from.”

“True, nobody seemed to make a big deal about it when you came back. I remember hearing about it in the news, but it was more general. Thanking Intelligence for rescuing you, how you needed time to recover, but that was it. Something about you needing privacy.”

“Something which I appreciate, enough people know who I am as it is.” Having her face plastered all over the news would have just made it worse. “So, how did you figure it out?”

“You look like your father, believe it or not. Also you are the right age, and were with the Jedi.”

Aleena hums, she shouldn’t be surprised.

The Sith reaches for few credits, leaving them on the table. “This has been fun, but I must get going.” He gets up. “If you ever need a favour, let’s just say that I own you one.”

“I- thank you,” she smiles, “I hope you have a good day.”

“You as well.” And with that, Nathan is gone. Aleena nestles back underneath the blanket, opening the holobook where she left off. She’d finish this chapter, and then lunch.


End file.
